The Prince That Was Promised
by TheClassof1832
Summary: A dark!Luke story where Anakin raises his son on Coruscant under the watchful eye of the Emperor. Will Luke become the Sith Lord he is expected? Or will he be swayed by the light side of the Force?
1. Chapter 1

**Testing this out; might become a two-shot if y'all don't like it. This is Anakin's attempt at raising Luke, but I decided not to make him a terrible father. Just... kind of distant. Also, he won't ever be in the Vader suit; the fight on Mustafar didn't have as bad of an ending for him as it did. Obi-Wan did manage to get away, though, and he will make an appearance later.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.**

Anakin's robes whipped around his ankles, sand stirring at his boots. He never thought he would return to Tatooine, yet here he was; standing outside his stepbrother's home, his body aching and stiff from his fight with Obi-Wan. His former friend had definitely given him a new collection of scars. But he was disappointed in Obi-Wan. He thought his friend would have been more clever with the location he chose to hide his son. Tatooine was far too predictable. Anakin entered the home, pleased that Owen had not changed the combination to get in.

"Who is it?" Owen's voice sounded from down the hall. Anakin smirked and activated his lightsaber. He didn't want to kill his stepbrother, but if he had to, he would to get to his son. Owen turned and came down the hall Anakin was in, and started nervously at the sight of him. "Anakin! What are you doing here? Obi-Wan said you-"

"Obi-Wan was wrong," he stated tersely. "I want my son, Owen. Where is he?" Owen had strict rules from Obi-Wan to not allow Anakin to see the baby if he came, but the lightsaber in the seething Sith Lord's hand was enough to convince him to go collect Luke from the little makeshift nursery he and Beru had set up, picking up the sleeping baby and carrying him into the hall where his father waited. Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and cautiously took the baby from Owen, cradling him in his arms. He was disappointed to find that the infant bore no resemblance to Padmé; the baby had his nose, wisps of his blonde hair, and, when he opened his eyes a crack, Anakin saw his blue eyes gazing up at his own.

"His... His name is Luke," Owen informed. "Padmé named him before she passed." Anakin winced slightly; to hear that Padmé was gone, that it was his fault, made him angry. Especially since he had planned on saving her, to keep her from her fate. But remorse was weakness, and Anakin brushed the feeling aside for one of curiosity.

"Luke Skywalker." He tested the name out, pleased with how it sounded. "You, my son, are destined for great things. You will be the most powerful Sith the galaxy has ever seen. Entire regions will bow before you, lest they wish to be annihilated. And together, you and I will rule the galaxy as father and son, and bring order." Anakin grinned at the thought, and looked up at Owen. "Thank you, brother, for returning my son to me." And without another word, he left.

Luke slept peacefully in his father's arms, unaware of all the adult madness surrounding him. Anakin carried him aboard his ship, but soon found himself with quite the dilemma. He had no idea where to put Luke so he could transport his son safely. He certainly couldn't hold him and pilot his starfighter. Finally, he came up with an idea. Anakin fashioned up a little sling, which secured Luke close to his chest. Without another thought, he took off for Coruscant.

When he landed, the Emperor was waiting for him. Anakin quickly removed the makeshift sling, and carefully climbed out of his starfighter with Luke, who was still fast asleep. The Emperor clapped his hands together in sinister delight at the sight of the baby, who scrunched his nose as he was taken closer to the Emperor. Palpatine gazed down at the little bundle, his yellow eyes twinkling deviously and his lips curling into an evil grin. Anakin didn't have time for all this; he wanted to take Luke home and get him settled in for the night.

"You'll need a wet nurse," Palpatine told him. "I'll set out an ad for one as soon as possible. Until then, he can be bottle fed." The infamous Sith Lord looked once more on the baby. "He looks like you, my student. What name did she give him?" Anakin hated hearing Palpatine ignore Padmé's name as if she had been nothing. She had been far from nothing.

"Padmé named him Luke," he answered. "Luke Skywalker."

"A... decent name," Palpatine decided. He didn't like it; Anakin could sense it. He figured he was displeased that he had chosen to keep the name Padmé had given their son. "You ought to head home, Lord Vader. I'm sure you are tired, and it is best you get the boy home as well."

That was seven years ago, and much had changed since then. Luke was a rambunctious little seven year old, whose presence had become a highlight of any imperial meetings. Anakin had begun training him at four like he was supposed to, but refrained from exposing his little boy from the dark side of the Force just yet. But he was already strong with the Force, and was prone to levitating water glasses and remotes during meetings at the most inopportune times. Anakin would then have to excuse himself, chasing the little blonde streak dashing from the room, as Luke giggled madly. He made a point never to strike his son, but Anakin was a strict disciplinarian and Luke would know as soon as he would get caught that silly time was over. Then he would sit happily on his father's lap, listening to the words being thrown around curiously. Sometimes he would make a comment, making his father's friends laugh.

"Papa, why don't you just use the Force on all the rebels?" he asked one day when Uncle Tarkin and Anakin were having a very heated discussion. Anakin chuckled and bopped Luke's nose, making the boy laugh.

"Because, Luke, there's too many of them. If there was just one rebel, I could use the Force on him or her. But because there's hundreds, maybe thousands, of them I can't do that." Luke thought, his contemplation shown on his face like it often was on most young children.

"I will someday," he decided. "I'll be able to get all the rebels with the Force, Papa! Just you wait!" Anakin beamed proudly and held him close.

"I'm sure you will," he whispered. "But until then, you have to practice, and keep learning so you can be strong enough to do so." Luke smiled a toothy smile, showing the gaps where his baby teeth had fallen out. Anakin smiled back and set him down on his feet. "Now go to your lessons. Your tutor will not wait for you much longer." Luke huffed but ran out of the meeting room for his lessons. He passed the Emperor in the hall, giving a little salute before scrambling into the sitting room. His tutor's name was Sabé, and she had been a handmaiden for his mother when his mother had been living. Luke had never seen his mother, but his father had told him that all her handmaidens had looked like her, so his mother had to have been very beautiful.

"Good morning, Master Skywalker," she greeted. "Are you ready for your history lesson?" Her smile was as warm as the sun, and Luke nodded, scrambling to sit down next to her.

"Good morning, Sabé! Yes, I am ready," he said. Luke read from the history book his father had approved, but Sabé always was willing to tell him other versions of the stories in the textbook. He didn't tell his father about it, of course, but he imagined Sabé did because she spent a lot of time with his father when she wasn't teaching him.

His lesson was done after an hour of reading and discussing, and Luke scrambled back down the hall to the meeting room. He could hear yelling on the other side of the door; he recognized his father's deep voice and the raspy voice of the Emperor. Luke burst in, grabbing Anakin's legs and looking up at him, worried in a way that only children can be worried.

"You must begin training him to see our ways," the Emperor scolded. "The longer you put it off, the less powerful he will be. Jedi mind-tricks and levitating glasses is all fine and well, Anakin, but if the boy cannot wield a lightsaber or use the dark side of the Force, what use is he?" Luke was confused; the Emperor was never angry at his father. His father could use a lightsaber, and could use both sides of the Force. Being a bright, clever boy, it dawned on Luke that the Emperor was not talking about his father, but about him.

"He's only seven," Anakin pointed out. "Let him be a child for now. He has the rest of his life to be the Sith Lord you wish for him to become." The Emperor looked down at Luke with his yellow eyes, and Luke shivered. The man always made him uncomfortable, but he would never tell his father that. Anakin held Luke close, placing a comforting hand on his back.

"Eighteen," the old man growled. "When he turns eighteen I want him to be fully trained and prepared to take his place by your side. That gives you eleven years to develop his skill set. Do not fail me, Anakin. You wouldn't want to displease me." Luke gaped at the man; eleven years seemed so far away! Sabé had told him that ten years made a decade, so the Emperor was giving his father a decade and a year to make him into a Sith Lord. Surely his father could do that; he was the greatest Sith Lord in the history of the galaxy.

"He can do it!" Luke shouted. "He's the greatest Sith Lord in the galaxy! Even greater than you! And I'm his son, so I can be just as great as he is!" Luke started to march toward him and Anakin grabbed his skinny little arm, pulling him back. The Emperor chuckled.

"Good," he stated. "You're angry. You'll be a good little fighter. Just like your father." Anakin stared him down and Luke used his father's distracted mind to wriggle out of his grasp and stomped on Palpatine's foot before storming right out of the room in a little fit that paralleled one of Anakin's infamous fits.

"Luke!" Anakin shouted. "LUKE SKYWALKER YOU GET YOUR LITTLE BUTT BACK IN HERE RIGHT NOW!" But Luke was running now, scrambling into his room and slamming the door behind him. Anakin thundered down the hall, trying to open his door, but Luke was concentrating on the door using the Force, keeping it closed. Anakin pounded on the door, seething. Luke never acted out in such a manner when around the Emperor. "Luke... come out here right now and apologize to Emperor Palpatine."

"No!" Luke yelled. Anakin banged his head against the door, groaning in frustration. Sabé came down the hall to find him leaning against the door, and sighed.

"Anakin?" she questioned. "Is everything ok?"

"Can you try and get Luke to come out of his room?" Anakin pleaded. Sabé nodded and placed one hand on the door.

"Luke," she said softly. "Come out and talk to us, please." She heard a sniffle, and the shuffle of little feet, and sure enough the door slid open and Luke stood just past the doorframe, tears spilling down her cheeks. Sabé scooped him up, and he buried his face in her shoulder.

"I didn't mean to," he sniffled. "He just made me so mad... I'm real sorry, promise!"

"I know you didn't," Sabé assured. "But you need to go with your papa and apologize to the Emperor. Can you do that for me, Luke?" The boy nodded, and Anakin took him back into the meeting room. The Emperor stood expectantly, tapping his foot impatiently.

"I... I'm sorry that I stepped on your foot, Emperor Palpatine," Luke mumbled. "It will never happen again." The Emperor scowled at the boy and started toward the door. Anakin and Luke watched him, but at the last minute he turned to face the two.

"Remember: eleven years. If he is not trained in the ways of the Sith by his eighteenth birthday, I will send him back to that garbage dump of a planet that you went to rescue him from. And don't you dare to think for a moment that I won't."

 **So what do you think? Palpatine is delivering his usual ultimatums. Also, little kid Luke was fun to write; I figured he would be a spunky little thing. And Sabé! Idk why I thought of her, but I figured she should be in here somewhere. What do you all think should happen?**

 **Tell me what you think!**

 **~ Class**

 **P.S. Do you know where I got the title for this? It's my favorite show:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's another chapter; I'm glad you guys liked it (even though I can't see your reviews through this site *shakes fist at FF*)**

 **Luke is now eighteen in this chapter! But he isn't really dark yet; he has the skills and the means but no drive to be like his father/Palpatine just yet. Like most eighteen-year-olds, he just wants to have some freedom. That will all start to change, however.**

 **Also, there are some mentionings of... HAN SOLO! :3 Since he's gone about anywhere, Luke has met him at a bar, of course. And Luke meets his sister, though he doesn't know Leia is his sister yet (à la A New Hope).**

 **Disclaimer: Not Mine!**

 _Eleven Years Later_

Luke loved his new airspeeder, with its sleek black paint job and chromium accents. He wasn't even from Naboo, but because his mother was the late Padmé Amidala, he had been allowed two stripes of chromium running along either side of the gift from his father for his eighteenth birthday. It was also the fastest airspeeder on Coruscant; everyone knew Luke Skywalker, son of Darth Vader, was out and about when they saw the flash of chromium pass them by. He savored his freedom because he knew it would be gone soon enough. The Emperor was expecting him to assume his duties at his father's side; Luke had been trained in the ways of the dark side, and he was now expected to prove it. The thing was, he wasn't sure if he wanted to serve the Emperor. The man had been a constant presence in his life for as long as he could remember; he had overseen his training, never missing a chance to critique the way his father was teaching him or to demean Luke himself. Luke had grown powerful, but sometimes he wondered at what price. Emperor Palpatine had already requested that Luke become his own personal bodyguard in the months to come. He would go wherever the Emperor goes, and since the Emperor never leaves Coruscant, Luke would remain on the planet he had spent his entire life on. He'd begged his father to get him a real ship for his birthday; some sort of sleek, fast starfighter. Luke secretly wanted to get his hands on a TIE Fighter; he loved watching them zoom off the planet to go fight X-Wings and other rebel fighters. It had reached the point where Luke wouldn't mind having an X-Wing, as long as it provided him with a way off of Coruscant.

"Luke!" his father's voice crackled to life through the comlink that had been carelessly thrown onto the passenger seat of the airspeeder. Luke sighed and picked up without even looking at it, pressing the button to respond with a huff.

"Yes, father?" he questioned. "I'm flying right now so I can't talk for long." Anakin spluttered in frustration on the other end and Luke chuckled; he may or may not have forgotten to tell his father that he was going out for the day.

"You weren't supposed to go out today!" Anakin shouted. "The Emperor is currently sitting in our sitting room, waiting for you, and he is growing impatient! You need to come home now, Luke."

"Buy me a starfighter and I'll come home," Luke bartered, trying to see if he could finally perform a Jedi mind-trick through the comlink. But Anakin scoffed and Luke frowned.

"Don't try that with me," he threatened. "You get your ass home right now or you can kiss your airspeeder goodbye." Luke groaned and turned around, zooming back in the direction of their apartment. He landed in his designated landing spot, hopping out of the driver's seat in a display of great athleticism. With all his training, Luke had become strong and maintained an athletic build much like his father's at his age. Grabbing his gold jacket, Luke slung it over one shoulder and hustled into the building. Sabé was waiting for him in the lobby of the building; when Luke was ten his father had married her and she was the closest thing to a mother he had. He was still an only child, however, and was grateful for that.

"Where did you think you were going?" she whispered to him as she steered him into the lift. The glass contraption went straight up to their apartment and the two entered into the little entry way of the apartment. Luke turned to Sabé, throwing on his jacket as he did.

"I figured I'd have time to go out," he admitted. "Maybe get a few drinks with some of the new officers. I met this guy the other day, from Corellia, and he said that if I wanted to he needed a crew for his freighter." Sabé knew exactly what kind of man Luke's new friend was.

"I will not have you associating with a smuggler. That's an easy way to get killed by a bounty hunter," she dusted off the shoulders of his jacket, before forcing him to go into the sitting room. Sure enough, the Emperor was waiting for him, seated in one of the soft yellow chairs. He looked as grotesque and evil as ever, and Luke put on his poker face. Anakin came up to him and steered him to his seat, grumbling under his breath. Luke pulled his arm from his grasp and sat out of his own free will, posture stiff and serious. Sabé excused herself; she rarely remained in the room when the Emperor was visiting on official business. Luke always got the feeling that she did not like the Emperor; and while Luke respected the man, he didn't like him much either.

"So, young Skywalker," the Emperor began, "you have completed your training." Luke nodded, not wanting to say anything just yet. "Good. Very good. I can feel the strength within you; the power... You will be a useful asset to the Empire. Are you prepared to serve me?" Anakin looked at Luke expectantly while he searched for the right words. Dropping down to one knee Luke bowed his head before the Emperor in an act of loyalty.

"I swear to you I will be loyal to you and the Empire, my lord," he stated. "I will devote my life to the dark side of the Force and the continuation of order in the galaxy." He looked up, inwardly cringing at the sight of Palpatine's vicious yellow eyes. Luke had spent years learning the dark side of the Force, but his eyes had never looked like that. His were still a bright, clear blue that shined much like his father's once had. Or so he'd been told. Luke wondered if his eyes would turn to the disgusting yellow that Palpatine's were, or if his eyes would remain the same, like his father's had, but just become more tired and old. Luke heard women talk about his father; how he had aged so well, how he was still so handsome, how his eyes were his best feature. They didn't know him like Luke did. To him, his father's eyes showed how tired he was of all this. They looked tired now, as Luke rose to his feet after pledging himself to the Emperor.

"You, my boy, will remain here on Coruscant while your father and I survey the progress on the Death Star," Palpatine instructed. "You will be my eyes, ears, and, if needed, voice here while I am gone. This means no bad behavior, though. Your father has told me about your... youthful pursuits. The drinking, the girls, et cetera. You will need to exchange your nights out at the bars for nights at the Galactic Opera House, and the company of cheap, trashy women for that of princesses and wealthy women. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Emperor," Luke responded, though he inwardly groaned. He hated going to the opera, and princesses and the daughters of wealthy men had little to no personality. At least the girls he met when he went drinking with Han were interesting. Han. Luke perked up, and smiled slightly. "But I may choose my own protection force, correct?"

"You don't need one!" Anakin exclaimed, a little angry that Luke had even thought he would. "You are my son; you can take care of yourself." Luke frowned; his father was right, and he had just remembered that Han had left for the Outer Rim around noon. He was stuck on Coruscant.

"You're right, father," Luke admitted. "That was a stupid request, forgive me." Anakin nodded, glad his son was admitting his mistake. Besides, the Emperor would not want Luke to travel with a guard; it would be a sign of weakness that the son of Darth Vader had to travel with a guard. Luke could take care of himself; he was more powerful than he realized.

"I will be allowing you a new luxury," Palpatine stated, rising to his feet. "You will be given an old Jedi starfighter. An Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor. It is a capable ship, I believe. Fast, and easy to maneuver. With this gift, of course, I expect you to behave and not to get into any trouble with it. Promise me, young Skywalker." Luke was just excited to get a starfighter, so he nodded eagerly.

"I won't do anything you wouldn't do," he swore. "Thank you so much, Emperor."

"I'm sure you won't disappoint me." The statement was more of a threat than a reassurance. "Anakin, we must leave if we are to reach the Death Star in a timely manner. Come." Anakin patted Luke's back lovingly and got up, following the Emperor out of the apartment.

As soon as they were gone, Sabé reappeared, carrying some refreshments. Conveniently, there was only enough for two, so she must have known that Anakin would be leaving with Palpatine.

"He gave you a starfighter," Sabé noted. "I'm sure you're excited. Do you think R2 will be up to the challenge?" The little astro droid had been in the family for the longest time, and generally was with Anakin at all times. Luke wondered if he had been left behind for once so he could use him. The familiar beeps and boops of R2-D2 drew Luke's attention to the hall, and sure enough, the droid let out a metallic shriek at the sight of him. Luke chuckled and the little droid rolled on in to the sitting room, waiting eagerly at Luke's side.

"Do you want to go see the new ship?" he asked. R2 rocked back and forth as he often did when excited, and Luke smiled, rising from his spot on the couch. Luke figured the starfighter was at the same landing pad as his father's so he left with R2 and managed to get the droid into his airspeeder, rushing over to the landing pad. Sure enough, a shiny black starfighter was in the spot right next to his father's, which was still yellow as it has been when he was a young man. Luke started to jog up to it, turning around and motioning for R2 to follow him when he crashed into someone. The person gasped in surprise and the two tumbled to the ground, Luke putting a hand out to stop his fall. He could tell his palms would be scraped up later.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you," he said before actually looking at the person underneath him. A young woman, about his age, stared up at him, visibly angry.

"Why don't you watch where you're going?" she spat. "And get off of me!" Luke scrambled into his feet, dusting off his pants as he did so. He offered the woman a hand but she got up on her own, scowling at the tear in the hem of her white dress.

"My name is Luke Skywalker." The woman looked at him upon his introduction. She was unimpressed. She was also very beautiful; her hair was a dark brown, done up in an intricate braid, and her eyes were a warm brown that reminded Luke of chocolate. Her beauty was contrasted by her sharp tongue.

"I would have expected the son of Darth Vader to be a little taller," she quipped. Luke blushed; he was shorter than his father by about four inches; Anakin was exactly six feet tall, where Luke fell at five-foot-eight on a good day.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Miss...?"

"Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan," she answered shortly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Goodbye, Skywalker. It was... nice meeting you."

"Princess..." Luke thought aloud. He thought of what Palpatine had told him; how he needed to keep good company now. At least Princess Leia would be interesting. He ran after her. "Princess! Excuse me, but do you have any plans for this evening?" The woman turned on her heel sharply, hands on her hips as she appraised Luke.

"No," she replied. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you would accompany me to the Galactic Opera House this evening? As friends, of course. A new play is supposed to be performed tonight, and I have access to the Emperor's box." Leia huffed, crossing her arms defensively.

"And in what universe do you think I would want to be seen out and about with you?" she inquired. Luke found himself scowling at her, and inwardly reminded himself to stay calm.

"It was just a question," he defended. "If you don't want to go, I understand."

"A Sith Lord capable of understanding others," Leia snarked. "I didn't think that was possible."

"I'm not a Sith Lord," Luke lied.

"Your heritage and lightsaber tell me differently."

"Do you always manage to frustrate every single person you meet?"

"No, just you." Leia smirked, pleased with the way Luke ran his fingers through his hair angrily. She hadn't imagined him to be so young; he was practically her own age. According to her father, all his looks came from his father; there wasn't a trace of the late Queen Amidala in him.

"Well, nice meeting you," he muttered, walking toward what Leia assumed was his own starfighter. She started to laugh and Luke looked back at her.

"Fine, I'll go with you!" she exclaimed. "But just as friends!"

"Just as friends," Luke assured.

 **And the Skywalker twins have met! I liked Leia's smart tongue; she definitely needed to be sassy and I think I got it down.**

 **Something is going to happen at the opera to bring out dark!Luke... Any guesses?**

 **~ Class**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi y'all! Here's the opera chapter, and Luke does figure out that Leia is his sister! Let's all take a collective sigh of relief. However, some major events take place while Luke and Leia are at the Galactic Opera House; events that bring out the dark side in Luke. You've been warned.**

 **Also, FanFiction still hasn't fixed the review situation, but I have received your reviews through my email, so I am seeing them. :D But I like getting PMs too; I used to work out new ideas with a writer friend using a chat style through PMs on here.**

 **Disclaimer: Not mine!**

Luke decided not to take his starfighter for a spin since he had a date now. Well, not a date; he was going to the Galactic Opera with a friend. In fact, the more he thought about it, his conversation with Princess Leia had been more like the kind he would have with a sibling. Either way, he was guaranteed a better night than he would have had, sitting at home thinking about all the fun he was missing out on. Going to the opera with Leia at least guaranteed some interesting conversation and a chance to be out and about. Sabé was surprised when Luke was home so early; she had been expecting him to fly off somewhere and leave for at least a couple hours. She was even more shocked when he informed her that he was going to the opera tonight, and wanted her help picking out an outfit.

"I'll be sitting in the Emperor's box," Luke stated as he rummaged through his closet while Sabé looked on. "If I look like a slob tonight word will get back to father and he will not he happy with me. After all, I'll be going with a princess, so-"

"Wait, what?" Sabé interrupted. "A princess? Where did you meet a princess? Who is she?" Luke turned with a grin, his favorite black shirt folded over one arm.

"Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan," he answered. "I... I don't like her that way, though, Sabé, if you're wondering. She's pretty, and smart, but when I talked to her I felt like I was speaking with my sister, you know? I think she will be a good friend, though. Do you know anything about her?" Sabé knew Bail Organa, Leia's father, from her time with Padmé. He was a suspected rebel; not the kind of man Anakin would want Luke associating with. And if his daughter was anything like Bail, she would mean trouble for Luke. She would have to send a holo to Anakin immediately, informing him of the situation.

"No," Sabé lied. "I'm sure she's a nice girl. It will be nice for you to have some acceptable company." Luke nodded and turned back to his closet, only to pull out a pair of black boots that desperately needed to be shined. Sabé sighed and picked them up. "I'll shine these if you go ahead and get dressed." He kissed her on the cheek and she left the room. Luke shut the door behind her, and began to get dressed for the night. His father had forced him to get an all black ensemble; he had told him that if he were to be a proper Sith Lord he would need to have one. Luke had agreed with his sentiments, and the two had agreed on a well-tailored pair of black pants with a stiff-collared shirt that had an overlapping front. The shirt too was fitted, and Luke could not stand the collar, so he often left the top fastening of the shirt open, revealing the blood red lining underneath. He wandered out of his room to find his boots at the door and Sabé using the holo to speak with Anakin.

"... daughter? Bail has no children; Breha has never managed to carry a child to full term," his father stated to Sabé, just as intimidating in the flickering blue image from the holo as in person.

"I know," Sabé whispered. "That's why I am so confused..." She caught a glimpse of Luke out of the corner of her eye and waved him over. "Luke, could you please describe Princess Leia for us?" He did so while putting on his boots, which now gleamed perfectly.

"She looks... well, she looks how I imagine mother would have looked," he admitted. "It was strange though, father. When I talked to her, I... I felt as if I was talking with my sister. I felt something through the Force, but I couldn't quite-"

"You felt it through the Force?" Anakin shouted. "Yet you still asked the girl to accompany you to the opera this evening? Luke Skywalker, we are not that kind of family! She must be your sister. There's no other explanation for the feelings you felt. You may still take her to the opera tonight, of course, but it is in your best interest not to see her again." Luke nodded.

"Yes of course, father," he said. "But... would it be unwise not to tell Princess Leia? If she is my sister then she could quite possibly-"

"Do not tell her," both Sabé and Anakin said at the same time.

"Alright," Luke sighed. "As you both wish. I must go; Leia will be expecting me." And without another word, Luke exited the apartment. Anakin and Sabé watched him go, both extremely worried about how such revelations would affect him.

"He has a sister," she sighed. "And you do not wish for her to know of the truth?" Anakin sighed and shook his head. "Why not? A daughter would be a blessing."

"If she looks like her, I never want to see her," Anakin managed. "Besides, she is too old to learn the ways of the Force, implying of course she is Force-sensitive." Sabé chuckled and shook her head. "What? What is it?" Anakin's face scrunched in confusion and concern.

"I look like her, yet you married me," she noted. "You are just afraid of having a daughter. And I will admit, boys are easier. At least Luke was. They don't require as much, you can be harder on them; girls require a certain delicateness. Something you're afraid you lack."

"I know I lack it," he scoffed. "That is not what I'm concerned about; Bail is involved with the Rebel Alliance. If he shares that part of his life with Leia the way I share my political life with Luke, who's to say her radical ideals won't rub off on him? The Emperor needs him to remain loyal to the Empire. If he spends time around Leia Organa, he may lose his way."

Luke's airspeeder landed outside the apartment building that the Organa family was currently residing in. Leia came down, wearing a more elegant version of the white dress she had worn when they had met. Luke helped her into the speeder, and then they set off, his mind racing with the fact that she was his sister. He could feel her through the Force, and she even had the aura of a Skywalker; there was no way she wasn't his twin sister. Luke felt conflicted that he couldn't tell her, but if both Sabé and his father had been adamant that he not, there had to be a reason.

"I've never been to the Galactic Opera House here on Coruscant," Leia said in an attempt to break the silence between the two of them. "Also, your airspeeder... it's faster than every other one I've ever been in." Luke chuckled and glanced over at her.

"It's the fastest on Coruscant," he told her. "I know that for a fact." Leia scoffed and rolled her eyes. "What? It's true! Ask anyone." They arrived at the opera house and Luke once again helped Leia out of the airspeeder. They walked up the grand stairs to the entrance, and made their way through the crowd in the lobby to the stairs up to Palpatine's private box. The usher was waiting for them, a silver tray with glasses of Halmad Prime; a widely-sought export from the Outer Rim. Luke took a glass with a nod, as did Leia, and the usher led them into the box.

"The Emperor requests that you sit in his seat, Master Skywalker," the usher whispered in his ear. "You will have the best view of the show, but the rest of the audience will have the best view of you. Is that alright with you?" Luke nodded and waved a dismissive hand.

"That will be quite alright, thank you," he stated. The usher bowed and took his leave, and Luke sat down in the seat that was normally the Emperor's. He did indeed have the best view of the stage below, but at the same time he could see every person who turned to look up at him. Leia must've noticed as well, as she leaned over to whisper into his ear.

"You've been spotted," she giggled. "Not that it would have been that hard." Luke simply smirked, and took a sip of Halmad Prime; the alcohol had a gentler burn than most, but he could still feel the usual warm sensation as he swallowed. Leia's glass remained untouched, which Luke found surprising. Then again, he could feel that she didn't trust him.

"Yes, well I'm sure they're all curious as to what I look like; I rarely make appearances with my father and the Emperor. I think the last time I did I was about ten or eleven," Luke admitted. "I'm sure they all made bets as to whether or not I ended up looking like my father." Leia looked long and hard at him, and decided that anyone who said he would end up looking like Anakin would be earning a fair amount of money tonight; he had his father's chin, the same blonde hair, and a similar nose. Overall, though, Luke's face was softer; he did not have the hard features that Anakin had. Leia imagined, however, that the hardened features would be something that would come with time; a product of years of serving Emperor Palpatine. A great roar was building in the opera house and Leia nudged Luke.

"Stand up," she told him. "Give a wave. They're intrigued, use it to your advantage." Luke sighed, but rose to his feet, trying to mimic the formal way his father would stand at public appearances. "Relax... You aren't your father, Luke. They know that." Once again, he did as his sister instructed, standing in a more casual way, waving to whoever waved up at him until the lights flashed, signaling that the show was to start any time now. He sat down, taking one more sip of his drink before the show began. Little did Luke know that the show that night was a drama about his father and mother. He sat stiffly through the production, wondering the entire time if the story being told on stage was even close to the way actual events had played out. He felt a strange disturbance in the Force as the curtain went up, but Leia said nothing, assuming he had known what was being shown that night. The usher slipped into the box nearing the end of the first act, leaning over to whisper into Luke's ear.

"Master Skywalker, I'm afraid there has been... an incident involving your father," he mumbled. "If you could come with me; the Emperor has sent a holo." Luke rose to his feet, confused and concerned. Leia watched him leave out of the corner of her eye, but her attention was drawn back to the stage with the staged lightsaber duel between the actors playing Anakin and Obi-Wan. Leia had met Obi-Wan Kenobi once before; he had visited her father when she was very young to discuss matters Leia had not understood at the time. He had greeted her charmingly, but there had been pain and sadness in his eyes...

Luke stood in front of the holo the usher had presented him with. Palpatine was just as hideous in holo form, he noted, and his voice was just as unnerving. Luke wondered why his father wasn't at his side. Perhaps there had been some sort of issue that would delay Anakin's return home. It wouldn't have been the first time that Palpatine had sent him off to do something.

"Young Skywalker," he began, "I am so sorry. On our way out from the Death Star we were ambushed by a squadron of X-wing fighters... Your father engaged them with our escort of TIE fighters. They were able to destroy the rebels, but... your father's TIE Advanced took a direct hit. He is gone, Luke. I'm sure this is difficult news for you to hear, but I expect you to take his place at my side immediately. I will not require your presence tonight, but starting tomorrow you are to assume all of your father's former responsibilities. Do you understand?"

Anger and rage filled Luke up, more than it ever had before. He felt his whole body trembling as he struggled not to lash out at the nearest unsuspecting victim, which would have been the usher. He felt the dark side of the Force flowing through him like never before, and noted a strange tingling in his fingertips. Force lightning. Luke had only ever seen it used by the Emperor himself, and the power had always frightened him. But the pull of the dark side was far too powerful for him to ignore.

"Thank you for informing me, Emperor," Luke replied before releasing the Force lightning, targeting the holoprojector and ultimately destroying it, sparks flying violently from the machine. The usher stood dumbfounded behind him; he had always assumed that the Skywalker boy wasn't capable of such things. "Sorry about that." And while Luke's words were sheepish, his voice was strong and unapologetic.

"I-It's alright, Master Skywalker," the usher managed. "I can clean it up." Luke nodded to him and returned back to his seat, where Leia was waiting.

 **So Luke is now in touch with the dark side of the Force; is he going to be as bad as his dad? More bad? The baddest? Let me know what you think!**

 **~ Class**


	4. Chapter 4

**So here's another chapter; school just started so I'll be busy.**

 **And if you're waiting for an update of _The Future Come to Pass_ it will come later this week. It will probably be the last chapter too (and I'll be writing it from Rey's point of view)!**

 **Disclaimer: I wish I owned Luke Skywalker, but I don't. :(**

Luke was silent for the remainder of the night. He knew he would have to get back home and over to the training center so he could properly let off some steam. He had never felt so angry, so furious in his entire life. The rebels whom he had grown to ignore, to consider completely insignificant, had taken his father from him forever. Leia seemed worried, but she was no comfort; Luke knew what people said about her (adopted) father, that he was one of the leaders in the rebellion. For all Luke knew, Bail Organa had been the one who had sent the X-Wings to attack. He wondered if Leia was aware of the rebellion. Perhaps she was as involved as Bail was rumored to be. After all, he was aware of his father's involvements with the Empire; who's to say it wasn't the same way for Leia and Bail? He couldn't bear to think of it. Luke reached out through the Force, still hoping that his father was alive, but in place of the cold sun that had been Anakin Skywalker Luke found only emptiness. A vast void waiting to be filled by another Sith Lord. A void that Emperor Palpatine expected Luke to fill, and soon.

He attempted to distract himself with the show, but the sight of an actor portraying his father, pretending to Force-choke an actress portraying his mother did not make him feel much better. Luke's mind drifted to Sabé, and he wondered if she had been told about his father's death as well. He wondered what he would come home to; would Sabé be in tears on one of the yellow sofas in the sitting room, unable to move or do anything, or would she be going about her usual evening as if nothing had happened? Luke wasn't so sure.

"Luke, are you alright?" Leia's soft voice drew him from his thoughts, and Luke gripped one arm of his chair tensely, his anger threatening to bubble over. He grit his teeth and turned to face her. What was he going to tell her? He didn't want to explain what had happened.

"Fine," he hissed, looking her in the eyes. Leia gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth. "What? What is it?" He was getting irritated, and all he wanted was to go home.

"Your eyes," she whispered. "They... They've changed!" Luke's eyebrows scrunched together, and he stared at Leia in confusion. "I'm serious, Luke! They're... yellow?" He didn't believe her, but dashed to his feet, running to the private refresher. Luke had only ever seen his father's eyes turn yellow once, and the Emperor has yellow eyes all the time. He had lost sense of himself in his anger, and the dark side had found its way in.

Looking up into the mirror hung in the refresher, Luke saw his own reflection; saw his usual mop of blonde hair, his nose, and his chin that was so much like his father's. But instead of blue eyes looking back at him, gleaming yellow eyes stared him down. Luke touched the mirror in disbelief; surely he hadn't succumbed to the power of the dark side so quickly? Then again, he had been exposed to such power for a little over a decade; it had only been a matter of time before he became a complete Sith Lord.

"Yes, yes..." The Emperor's voice reached Luke's ears. He turned, and sure enough the Dark Lord was looming in the doorway, cackling to himself. "Embrace your anger, young Skywalker. You will need it, if you are going to make the rebels pay for what they did to your father." Luke stared at him in shock and disbelief. "Ah, you think I do not know the resentment you feel toward the Rebel Alliance? The distrust you have for your... sister? Interesting, very interesting." Luke immediately went on the defensive.

"You will not harm her," he stated, his voice shaking from all the withheld anger. "If something happens to Leia, then I-"

"What?" Palpatine spat. "What are you going to do, Skywalker? Throw a fit? Whine at me? You cannot touch me; my power is far greater this your own." Luke felt his anger ready to bubble over, and felt the strange tingling in his fingers once more. Was he brave enough to use the dark side against the Emperor? If he killed Palpatine, the galaxy would be even more mad than it already was; someone would have to take his place, and it certainly wouldn't be Luke. "Oh!" Palpatine cackled. "You're going to kill me! How... naive of you. You should know that I can't be killed, Luke. And you certainly cannot kill me. Not even your father, in his prime, could have killed me. He was too soft. I can teach you to control the power that I can sense is tingling at your fingertips, even show you how to cheat death." Luke thought of his mother; how she was long gone. And now his father was gone too. Everyone who had ever cared for him - aside from Sabé - had passed. Palpatine seemed to know what he was thinking. "Your father... he was too weak; he could never have possessed the power to save your mother or himself. You... You have that power. I can feel it. You can save your stepmother, your sister, even... yourself."

"I will serve you, Emperor," Luke stated. "I know it is what my father would have wanted. But I will not be your apprentice; my father has taught me all I need to know."

"You are quite wrong," Palpatine chuckled, "Anakin merely skimmed the surface when showing you the power of the dark side. But you will learn. Return to your sister; I sense she is growing worried." Luke turned back to the mirror, relieved to see his eyes had returned to a twinkling blue, and dashed out of the refresher and back out to where Leia was waiting.

"You had me so worried," she whispered to him. "Are you alright?" Luke simply nodded and returned to his seat. Leia grabbed his hand, and he patted the top of here with his free hand gently. "The show is almost over; the scene is taking place on Coruscant..."

Focusing his attention on the stage, Luke realized that the actors were supposed to be on Coruscant. The actor playing his father was being greeted by an actor playing Palpatine /'d it took Luke a moment to realize that the lead was holding a little bundle in his arms - a bundle that was supposed to be him. A painful smile graced his face, and as the final lines of the play were spoken Luke didn't catch them; he simply rose to his feet as he was supposed to, applauding through curtain call. Leia stood at his side, glancing over at him every once in a while. He managed a smile for her, and the two left, speeding off to the building where the Organa family was staying. Luke remained quiet for most of the ride, and Leia got out of the airspeeder without a word.

When he returned home, Luke found Sabé in tears on the sofa; he felt angry, but kept his anger below the surface, going over to comfort his stepmother. He held her close as she sobbed.

"It's alright, Sabé," he mumbled. "He's still with us, even if we can't see him. He may be gone, but this isn't the end." She pulled away, cupping Luke's cheek. Sabé had come to see him as her own son; she was remarkably proud to see him so strong.

"He was so proud of you," she whispered. "He couldn't wait to have you serving at his side. It was his greatest dream come true." Luke's mind drifted to his meeting earlier with the Emperor and cringed. "Something troubles you. What's wrong, Luke?"

"The Emperor was at the show tonight," he told her. "He didn't sit with us or anything, but he cornered me in the refresher. He knows about Leia, and while he promised he would leave her alone I do not believe him. He... He wants me to become his apprentice, Sabé. I don't think I can do it. Father taught me so well; there is nothing I want the Emperor to teach me." He knew it was a lie as soon as it left his tongue; Luke had been intrigued with the concept of stopping the people he loved from dying. But if becoming Palpatine's apprentice was the price for such a skill, Luke wasn't sure if he was willing to pay.

A knock at the door forced Luke to get up from his spot next to Sabé, and he opened the door to find a Stormtrooper standing at attention before him.

"A message from the Emperor, Master Skywalker," he stated in the monotonous robotic voice characteristic of all Stormtroopers. The Stormtrooper held out a disk, which was meant to be put into the hard drive of a holo. Luke took it with a little nod and the Stormtrooper left. Sabé watched as Luke inserted the disk and the flickering image of Palpatine appeared. Luke cringed, and hoped he wouldn't act out the way he had at the opera; he was starting to figure out how to control the dark side in him; a trait that would be extremely useful in the long run.

"Luke Skywalker," Palpatine greeted. "You have rejected my offer of becoming my Sith apprentice. This decision is unwise. I extend my offer again, and if you accept you will become more powerful than you have ever imagined. If you reject my offer again... you leave me no choice but to destroy you and your family. This is my offer. It would be wise of you to accept it. And if you don't, do not try to run. There is no corner of the universe that you can hide in. Report to my chambers in the Imperial Senate Building when you decide to accept." The image faded away and Sabé stared at Luke; he had no choice but to follow in his father's footsteps. She couldn't imagine her sweet little Luke killing rebels and any innocents that stood in his way. But as Luke rose to his feet, fists clenched tightly and shoulders tight with stress she saw so much of Anakin in him that it almost scared her.

"You don't have to do this," she began, "I can get you out of h-"

"What, so he can chase me across the galaxy in some sick game of cat and mouse? There's no winning against the Emperor, Sabé. If there's one thing I've learned growing up around him it's that no matter how hard you try he's always one step ahead of you. There's not a system in our galaxy that I would be safe in. What am I going to do? Go join the Rebel Alliance? They'll be destroyed soon enough. And there's no Jedi left in the galaxy to train me in the ways of the Force. The only way I'll be able to become more powerful through the Force is if I train with Palpatine. I will need to take father's place at his side."

"I can't watch you lose yourself the way he did," Sabé sighed. "Your mother... it tore her apart, losing him the way she did. If she knew that you were about to go down the same path..." Luke felt as if he had been punched in the gut; Sabé never pulled the "mother" card. He envisioned the holo of his mother he had seen in his youth; her wavy brown hair and warm eyes, her soft smile... Padmé Amidala never would have approved of her son becoming a Sith Lord. But she was not here to give her input; she could not stop him from doing what he thought would be right for everyone else around him, even if it would crush his spirit.

"Well then, it's a good thing she isn't here to see this."

And with that, he left for the Imperial Senate.

 **So Luke is off to become Palpatine's new Sith apprentice. What do you think his "Darth _" name will be? I'm trying to find something that I like. Let me know what you think!**

 **~ Class**


	5. Chapter 5

**Whee! Totally dedicated to this story now! :3**

 **I will make it my goal to publish a chapter once a week.**

 **Disclaimer: Not mine!**

But before Luke went to the Imperial Senate Building, he headed over to the place Leia was staying. He had to tell her the truth; she wouldn't be safe with Palpatine knowing her true heritage. Luke ran into the building only to be intercepted by Bail Organa, who grabbed his arms firmly despite being older than his father had been, and gave Luke a stern look. He was even taller than Anakin, and Luke felt utterly useless. There was no way he was going to use the Force on the man who had raised his sister; it just wouldn't be right.

"And just where do you think you're going?" he questioned. "Don't you think for a moment I don't know who you are; you're Luke Skywalker, the son of Darth Vader. If you think I'm going to allow you any more contact with my daughter then you are sorely mistaken." Luke could sense that he knew the truth; that Leia was his sister. "I'm going to ask that you leave before there's trouble."

"There will be trouble if I don't speak to Leia!" Luke defended. "She's in danger, sir. The Emperor knows that she's my sister; it's a recent discovery but he knows nonetheless. She has to get off Coruscant as soon as possible." A look of concern crossed Bail's face, but it lasted less than a moment before he glared at him.

"How can I be sure that you're telling me the truth?" he questioned. Leia appeared behind her father and rushed over, not even attempting to hide her concern. Luke managed a sheepish smile for her and she sighed. "After all," Bail continued, "you are the son of Palpatine's Second-in-Command." Leia sighed and rested a hand on her father's arm.

"What is the meaning of this?" she questioned. "Luke, you should be at home." He should be; glancing over at a conveniently placed clock he noted that normally he would be on his way to bed. He also noticed that Leia looked like she was on her way to bed herself, but before he could say something to her Luke decided that it was in his best interest to address Bail.

"I am telling you the truth, Prince Consort Organa," he stated. "Palpatine is ruthless. You know that as well as I; the sooner Leia is off Coruscant the less he will play attention to her. I hate to say it, but you probably need to send her to the Outer Rim; he won't look for her there." Bail must have realized that Luke was sincere in his intentions, and released him. It was Leia's turn to grab him now, and she was not nearly as intimidating as Bail. "I'm sorry, Leia. But I'm only doing this because I care for you. I... I can't watch my sister fall into the clutches of the Empire." Her eyes widened, but Luke could feel her acceptance of the truth.

"I... I know," she managed. "Luke... come with me! It's not too late for you to escape the Emperor too! If you come with me we can meet with the Rebel Alliance and-"

"He knows me too well; I would put you in danger, Leia," he sighed. "Either way, I need to go." Bail looked on with a sad smile. "I trust you will make sure your daughter leaves the planet safely," Luke added. Bail nodded and stepped forward.

"She will be on her way to Tatooine very soon," he said. "Thank you, Luke. We owe you one." He nodded and left, feeling happier than earlier. But the fact that he was now expected to go to the Emperor and become his Sith apprentice. Luke sighed and leapt into his airspeeder with less enthusiasm than usual, and sped to the Senate Building where Palpatine waited. When he arrived, Stormtroopers flanked him at either side and escorted him up to Palpatine's chambers. This visit would mark the third time Luke had ever been to his chambers; the first time when he was eight, accompanying his father to a meeting. The second when he was sixteen and was being reprimanded for a night out on the town with a young woman from Corellia. Luke had gone to that meeting on his own, and remembered shaking in his boots at the sight of the Emperor. He didn't feel the same feeling of fear that he had then, but he was filled with an indescribable dread. Luke had seen the holo footage from when his father had become Darth Vader; the image had been seared into his mind since he was a young boy. He had been raised to see it as a great moment in the Empire's history; to see the work of the Empire as great and noble. He wasn't so sure anymore, but he knew that he had to do this.

"Luke Skywalker," the Emperor chuckled in greeting. "You are smarter than you are given credit for. Come, my student, and kneel before me." Images of his father - much younger, of course, but still very much his father - flashed through his head. Anakin's head was bowed, while Palpatine stood before him with a sickeningly smug expression on his twisted face. His father had been older than he had been at that time; married with a pregnant wife and responsibilities to handle. Luke had no such concerns; ever the bachelor and without any children he was free to be used as Palpatine wished (not that his father's marital status and impending fatherhood had kept him from doing such). The only people Luke had any emotional connection to were Sabé and Leia, and the former was used to living with an Imperial, and the latter... well, the latter was long gone.

"My Lord," Luke greeted as he dropped to one knee, bowing his head out of respect. Palpatine chuckled his usual chuckle and rose to his feet before him. Luke wondered if there was a holo of what was going on; he imagined there would be some record of this somewhere.

"You have been well trained by your father Darth Vader," Palpatine began. "But now your father is gone, leaving you without a mentor and me without an apprentice. You have accepted my offer to learn the ways of the dark side, and you have chosen wisely. The Force is strong in you, and you will be far stronger than your father ever has been. You will release the full power of the Empire upon the Rebel Alliance. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth... Infernum." Luke swallowed hard and glanced up at the Emperor. "Rise, Lord Infernum. You have some business to attend to." He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but Luke felt strange. Rising to his feet, he was aware of some newfound power flowing through him; the power of the dark side.

"Yes, Master," he responded, mimicking what he had heard his father say many times. "Whatever you wish, it will be done."

Obi-Wan Kenobi had been started when his holo had burst to life; he hadn't touched the thing in years and it was only meant to pick up messages that were to be broadcast across the entire galaxy. There hasn't been one in years; Palpatine rarely communicated with the Outer Rim. He was expecting Leia Organa to arrive any minute; Bail had contacted him stating that Leia was in danger and needed to be kept hidden for the time being. Living an extremely isolated life on an extremely isolated planet, Obi-Wan was more than happy to oblige.

The image on the holo was one he had seen before; it was so similar in fact that it seemed like a ghost from the past. The Emperor had a young man with blonde hair kneeling before him. Obi-Wan recognized him immediately: Luke Skywalker, son of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala. The boy he had been charged to watch over and keep safe from his father. Obi-wan still cursed himself for losing the boy; if losing Anakin to the dark side was his greatest mistake, losing Luke to his father was his second greatest.

It didn't surprise Obi-Wan that Anakin had exposed Luke's potential to Palpatine; it would be hard to hide any Force-sensitive from Palpatine, let alone a Skywalker. Any time he was near a Skywalker, Obi-Wan could feel the power radiating off of them. He was sure Luke was no exception. Everything about the young man kneeling before the Emperor reminded him of Anakin; though when the boy rose to his feet he saw that Luke was much shorter than his father. It made Obi-Wan chuckle, though the seriousness of what had just occurred weighed on him heavily - Darth Sidious had taken a new Sith apprentice, and that only meant two things:

Sidious believed Luke to be much stronger than his father, and 2) Anakin Skywalker was dead.

Unlike the Jedi, the Sith followed the Rule of Two, which meant that there were only ever a Master and Apprentice at any given time. Obi-Wan was somewhat shocked that Anakin had not killed Palpatine at some point, but he did not know his old friend as he once had. After all, so much had changed since they had been Jedi Knights.

Leia watched the holo from her seat on her father's star cruiser; it had popped up as most Imperial holo messages did on their ship. She recognized Luke immediately by the blonde hair. The range of emotions she was experiencing was overwhelming, but the main emotion was one of betrayal. Luke had sent her away for her protection, then he had turned right back around and gone to the Emperor. Only a Skywalker would do such a thing. But she was a Skywalker too, and she would never have dared to do such a thing.

"Darth Infernum," she muttered, the words dripping from her mouth like poison. "And I thought Darth Vader was a tacky name. Luke's is even worse than his father's..." Though at the same time, it wasn't. It was menacing and dark, even darker than Vader's. It implied destruction and fire and total annihilation. The Rebel Alliance was doomed. They'd had a chance when Vader had been Palpatine's Second-in-Command, but Luke was young and capable and savvy; he would have more ideas on how to kill the Alliance at its roots.

The desolate planet of Tatooine appeared below and Leia braced herself for the sand; she hated sand. She would much rather spend time on some icy planet than a desert planet. Her father came to the back where she was sitting and sighed. He had heard the holo, no doubt, but it has been cut out before they could hear the request Palpatine had made of Luke.

"I cannot do that," Luke stated weakly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I can't kill Leia, Master. She is my sister." Palpatine glared at him and Luke scowled at him.

"She is part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor," Palpatine retorted. "And she trusts you. That is the best way to get to her. You will go to your sister on Tatooine and keep her trust. When you know you have her in your grasp, you will kill her."

"Isn't there something else I can do?" Luke questioned angrily. "Anything but that. I'm a great pilot, perhaps I could infiltrate the Rebel Alliance." Palpatine perked up at this suggestion; he had forgotten what great flyers the Skywalkers were. If Luke was anything like Anakin, he was quite the ace. The offer intrigued him; it would be difficult but it would not be impossible. But if he could fly he could be of more use to the Empire than he would as a spy in the Rebel Alliance.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that," Palpatine decided with a slight drown. "You must leave tomorrow morning for Tatooine and make sure that you are not seen."

 **Conflict all around! Oh the tension!**

 **shoutout to Mr. Indigo for "Darth Infernum" - great Sith name!**

 **What do you think is going to happen on Tatooine?**

 **~ Class**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well here's a new chapter, a day late for my weekly promise, but hey, at least I wrote a new chapter.**

 **Luke goes to Tatooine to track down Leia. But will he do as Palpatine commands? Or will he decide that he will choose his own fate? Read on!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.**

He hated sand. It was trait he shared with his father; many times Luke had listened to Anakin complain about the terrain of Tatooine, and he had subconsciously developed an equally strong dislike without ever having set foot on the planet itself. There was something about the arid desolateness of Tatooine that was somehow comforting, like a memory from a dream. The sands of the planet stirred around his black boots, making his new Sith robes billow around him dramatically. Luke imagined he didn't look as intimidating as his father would have, but part of him - the dark side part of him - told him that this was a good thing. He could blend in better than his father ever could, making him that much more dangerous. Which would be useful, in most cases, and especially when on a planet such as Tatooine.

Luke went up to an old man who was haggling with a little alien - a Jawa, he remembered from one of the few stories his father had told him of Tatooine - and asked him if he had encountered anyone from the planet Alderaan. The feeling of dread about killing Leia, his sister, his own blood, filled him once more but he suppressed it. If this was what he had to do to get himself in Palpatine's good favor, so be it. The old man would be gone soon enough. Luke was certain of that. The man who had been speaking to the Jawa turned around, and Luke removed his hood. He doubted he would be recognized out in the Outer Rim; he rarely had made appearances with his father, preferring nights out with young imperial officers to formal assemblies. But the man seemed recognize him anyway. Luke cursed in Huttese, recalling the few foul words his father had known and muttered under his breath at times. This startled the old man even more.

"Luke?" he questioned. "Luke Skywalker?" Now he was even more concerned; the man actually knew his name. What else did he know about him? "Where is your father? Where's Anakin?"

"Anakin Skywalker is dead," Luke stated solemnly. "Who are you? How do you know my family?" The old man smiled painfully.

"I knew your father long before the start of the Empire," he explained. "His mother married my father; we were stepbrothers. I am sorry to hear that he is gone. And I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone from Alderaan. But if you are looking for someone... Oh no, I've said too much." Luke perked up at such a statement. He probed the man's mind desperately, and found a name he hadn't heard since he was a child. The name of a man he thought to be long gone.

Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Then the old Jedi Master's aura became known through the Force, almost as if he wished to be found. Luke said his goodbyes to the old man, whose name was Owen, and procured a landspeeder before heading off in the direction the Force told him to go. An old hut appeared on the horizon, and Luke slowed the landspeeder, bringing it to a complete stop before leaping out. He reached out using the Force, and found that Leia was near. She had to be inside the hut. Luke faced a new problem, however; he would have to deal with Kenobi. He thought of his father, and the relationship the two had had. Anakin had been Obi-Wan's padawan, and the two had been like brothers until he had embraced the dark side of the Force.

As if on cue, the old man appeared at the entrance of the hut. He seemed startled, as if recalling a memory. Luke stared him down, not wanting to make the first move. Obi-Wan sighed.

"Luke Skywalker," he greeted. "I have been expecting you."

"You have someone I need, Obi-Wan," Luke said, cutting straight to the point. The old man chuckled and began to approach him. The light side of the Force was almost overpowering in his presence; much like how the dark side was when in the presence of Palpatine.

"You won't kill her, Luke," Obi-Wan stated. "You and I both know that. Leia is your sister; you feel the need to protect her. The Emperor does not care about what you do or do not do. He simply wants your power, the same way he had desired your father's power. Search your feelings, my boy, you know it to be true." Luke wanted to slice through Kenobi without another thought, but something kept him from doing so. He felt like the old man was right. "Come; I fear there is much you need to be told. You have a decision to make that I fear could alter the fate of the entire universe. Your sister is waiting for you." The two men strode inside, where indeed Leia was waiting for Luke. Luke removed his Sith robes and sat down beside her, clasping her hand gently. Obi-Wan joined them, sitting directly across from them.

"I am sure you have heard a version of what I am going to tell you many times, Luke," he began, "but Leia, this will be the first you will ever hear of the story of your parents. I will start from the very beginning. I was the padawan of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn when I first met your father. He was a slave here on Tatooine, and at the tender age of nine already showed signs of being a great pilot, and an even greater Jedi. Qui-Gon decided that Anakin had to be freed from slavery, and taken to be trained as a Jedi knight. My master was unfortunately killed, and the task of training your father was handed to me, though I was barely a Jedi knight myself at the time. We were like brothers, your father and I; thick as thieves and working as one no matter what situation we found ourselves in. He was a cunning warrior, and a good friend. Until he met Chancellor Palpatine. Your father was seduced by the dark side, and eventually killed your mother, despite his attempts to learn how to save her by using the Force. You two were born, and Master Yoda and I agreed that you must be separated and kept from Palpatine and your father. Leia, you were given to Bail and Breha; they had failed to have children and you were taken gladly. Luke, you had been intended to go to your uncle, Owen Lars, and his wife Beru. I took you to them myself. But your father found out where you had been taken, and stole you away without a fight. He raised you to become the man you are today, though I sense that despite your new loyalties to Palpatine there is still good in you."

Luke tried his hardest to process what Obi-Wan had just told him. His father wasn't a hero. He was a lost soul who Palpatine had used to his advantage, attaching his ideals and beliefs to him like a leech attaches itself to one's flesh. He had been used. Luke wondered if his father had realized as much. Anakin had always seemed so loyal to Palpatine; surely he couldn't have known? It dawned on Luke that his father had been too far gone by the end of his life. But Luke... he had time. He could make up for lost time.

"I believe you, Master Kenobi," he told him. "And I want to help in any way that I can. Tell me how I can become a Jedi like my father." Obi-Wan smiled painfully; Luke reminded him of Anakin in so many ways. But he sensed that he had a spirit more like Padmé's; the kind of gentle empathetic nature that was so prized in a Jedi. Leia smiled at Luke and leaned on him in a sisterly way; she was so relieved that he was going to join them. He would prove to be a great asset to the Rebellion. She could feel it in her bones.

"Well, first we will need to find someone who can take us to Alderaan. And we'll need to dispose of your Imperial clothes. You can't walk around with Sith robes and a fine black uniform. Go change into this and then go burn your other clothes out back." Luke nodded and went into the other room, where he changed into a simple pair of white pants, a white tunic, and off-white boots that had to be wrapped around his calves. Obi-Wan had also provided him a brown belt on which he secured his father's blue lightsaber. He almost didn't recognize himself when he caught his reflection in a dust-covered mirror. It wasn't a bad change. Out back he set fire to his Sith robe, but tied his uniform in a tight bundle and threw it into the satchel Obi-Wan had given him. Something told him the outfit would come in handy later.

Leia and Kenobi were waiting for him inside; Leia was dressed in an airy white jumpsuit with a brown belt similar to his own, a blaster at her hip. She had a faded blue cloak thrown lazily around her shoulders, and her hair was done up in some sort of bun. Obi-Wan had not changed, but now donned a Jedi robe. He handed Luke a Jedi robe as well, and Luke tugged it on, noting that it was a little long and a bit big in the shoulders. It crossed Luke's mind that the robe might have been his father's when Anakin had been a Jedi. It would make sense that his former master would have come into possession of his things. The robe was a darker brown than Obi-Wan's, but not black like a Sith robe would be.

"Not a bad fit," Obi-Wan stated. "You are built a lot differently than your father." He looked Luke over once more. "But you do look like him. Come, we must head in to Mos Eisley. That's the only place we'll be able to find some sort of pilot at such short notice."

Luke took them in using the landspeeder he had taken, and the three entered Mos Eisley cantina. Luke was immediately reminded of Han; it seemed like just the place the Corellian smuggler would hang out. The thought of his friend made him sad, but he ignored the feeling. Han was probably off on some grand adventure, having the time of his life. Obi-Wan disappeared into the crowd, leaving Luke and Leia to fend for themselves, which proved to be more difficult than expected as men tried to flirt with Leia. Luke tried verbally defending his sister, but when one particularly unsavory patron tried to make a grab at her, Luke had no choice but to grab his lightsaber from his belt and take a swipe at the man. That was enough to convince the other men to leave them alone, and Leia silently thanked him for protecting her.

"Come," Obi-Wan instructed upon his return. "I think I have found us the perfect pilot to take us to Alderaan." The two got up from their spots at the bar, and followed Obi-Wan through the crowed cantina to a table nestled in the back of the building. Leia seemed apprehensive at the sight of the man, but Luke was almost overjoyed.

"Han!" he exclaimed. "Gosh, is it good to see you here! You're going to take us to Alderaan?" The man seated at the table grinned and rose to his feet, embracing Luke in a brotherly fashion.

"How did you manage to get your sorry ass off of Coruscant?" he questioned. "It's good to see you too, kid. And if you're going to Alderaan, I'm your man." Han eyed Leia with a coy grin. "And this is the princess, I imagine?"

"My sister," Luke stated. Han grinned and swaggered over to her.

"An honor to meet you, your worshipfulness," he said with a grin that would make most women swoon. Leia just rolled her eyes and smirked up at Han.

"It's going to be a long trip," she sighed.

 **There you have it! Luke is off to join the Rebel Alliance! How do you think Palpatine will react? Do you really think he's down for what they stand for? What will Bail do at the sight of Luke? Let me know what you think!**

 **~ Class**

 **P.S. I think this story will only be ten chapters, then I will be writing another Luke and Vader story where Luke is discovered on Tatooine around age sixteen by Piett and taken to Vader.**


	7. Chapter 7

**The gang is heading to Alderaan, and since the Death Star is not operational yet, they're all safe; don't worry ;)**

 **I also introduce an OC who Luke will have a little fling with. I really wanted to put in Mara Jade somewhere, but I am afraid I'm not familiar enough with the EU to write her faithfully. The OC's name is Mariamne.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars!**

The Millennium Falcon took off from Mos Eisley a few minutes later with some of the most important cargo it had ever carried; the future Emperor, and the Princess of Alderaan sat in the seats behind Han Solo and Chewbacca. But to him, they were just Luke and Leia, the unlikely twins that he was transporting to Alderaan with some strange old man by the name of Obi-Wan Kenobi. It wasn't the weirdest thing to happen on the Falcon, however. Han knew that for sure. Luke seemed a lot more at ease than usual, but looked out of place dressed as a little farm boy from Tatooine. Han was used seeing Luke in his favorite brown pants and white shirt, his black boots smudged and scuffed from casual use. The all-white ensemble made Luke look younger than his eighteen standard years, and Han wasn't sure he liked it. His sister, on the other hand, looked like an angel in her white jumpsuit and blue cloak; Han thought she was a complete and utter dream. He couldn't wait to see more of her. The journey to Alderaan would not take an obscenely long amount of time, but it was long enough for Han to put on the charm.

"Ever been to Alderaan?" Luke asked him, his imperialist manners not completely erased as he sat stiffly in the passenger seat behind Chewie. Han knew a drink or two would get that right out of him, but he could see the potential for a new Luke without any alcohol involved.

"No," Han responded. "I've heard nice things about it, though. And its exports are extremely pleasing to my eye, so it can't be that bad." Leia scowled behind him with a huff. Luke chuckled a little bit, and he heard a rather loud smack, so Han assumed that Leia had hit her brother. The old Jedi Master seated behind the twins sighed irritably, and he couldn't help but think that Kenobi saw himself as the Skywalker twins' babysitter.

"Enough, children," he chided. "If this how you're going to behave the entire trip, I'm afraid it's going to be an unbearable one. You're worse than your father at this age." Obi-Wan looked at Luke as if recalling a memory from long ago; perhaps one from the Clone Wars. "No," he decided after a moment of recollection, "you, Luke, are exactly like your father at this age. Brave, stubborn, defiant... But you have your mother's kindness."

"You knew Padmé Amidala?" Leia questioned, turning to face Obi-Wan with an eager expression on her face. Her father had spoken fondly of the woman, and Leia had grown up idolizing the former Queen and late Senator of Naboo. It was said that she had been a great beauty, and an equally remarkable diplomat and negotiator. Kenobi smiled wistfully at her.

"Oh, I knew your mother," he sighed. "I knew her as well as anyone. Well, except for perhaps your father, but he got to know her on a level that he was not supposed to know her. She was the most empathetic person I have ever known, but strong and capable of taking care of herself. Your father and mother were opposites; black and white, fire and water, chaos and order... But when they were together, well, there was nothing that could stand in their way. I'm sure, Luke, your father had told you much about her before his own passing."

Luke shook his head. "No, he didn't," he stated. "I'm afraid mother was the one topic that was off-limits in our household. I think it was because of Palpatine; he knew my mother hadn't supported the Empire, and the more her memory was kept alive the more he feared he'd lose my father to the rebellion. But my stepmother, Sabé, had been one of my mother's handmaidens. When I was young she would tell me stories about her, and about living on Naboo. My earliest memories consist of those tales, and of wanting to go there. Did you ever go to Naboo, Master Kenobi?" The old man chuckled, overtaken by a wave of nostalgia.

"Oh yes, I went to Naboo plenty," he said. "I had visited the Royal Palace in Theed when your mother had been queen. She had been so young at the time, younger than you two are now, but already one of Naboo's best and brightest. I admired your mother very much." Kenobi left his memories at that, and Luke couldn't help but think that Obi-Wan was avoiding telling more. He imagined that perhaps Obi-Wan had loved his mother, but his sense of order had kept him from acting on such feelings the way his father had. Leia had sensed some feeling of unrequited love, but was not bold enough to call him out on it.

"Tell us about yourself, Mr. Solo," Leia stated in an attempt to move the conversation along. Han sighed, annoyed that he was going to be forced to discuss himself with people he didn't really care about beside the fact that he wanted to get a chance to sleep with Leia before they arrived at Alderaan. Not that he probably would; they were making good time. Luke leaned forward in interest, though he knew about Han's past vaguely.

"Not much to tell," Han sighed. "I've been flying for as long as I can remember, and this is my life. I'm a smuggler by trade so I don't stick around, so if you're expecting me to join your little crusade I'm afraid you're gonna be out of luck." Chewie howled in agreement. Leia rolled her eyes and sat back, and Luke smirked at his friend's frank mannerisms. It was Han's usual manner of speaking, and most people either loved it or hated it; Luke admired the fact that he didn't have to worry about offending anyone, while Leia hated the disrespectful way he'd assessed her. "Sorry, sweetheart, that's just how I am."

"I'm just disappointed you don't want to share with us," Leia said nonchalantly. Han kicked the ship out of hyperspeed, and the beautiful planet of Alderaan appeared before them. Leia provided Han with a clearance code, and the Millennium Falcon was allowed to land outside the royal palace. Bail Organa was waiting on the landing pad, greeting his daughter as she ran down from the ramp. Obi-Wan followed closely behind, with Chewie and Han exiting after him. Luke slowly came down the ramp, hoping Bail wouldn't recognize him without his usual clothes. He was wrong, of course, and Organa pointed at him in warning.

"You," he growled, "we don't need your kind on this planet." Obi-Wan sighed and reached for Organa's arm, lowering his hand. "Kenobi, you know who raised him. He is dangerous."

"He has changed," Obi-Wan informed. "He has decided to leave the teachings of the dark side behind to learn the light side of the Force. I believe in time he will prove to a great Grey Jedi, like my former master Qui-Gon. He can bring balance to the Force." Bail didn't seem impressed.

"We'll see," he stated.

"Father, please," Leia pleaded. "Let him stay with us. He is my brother regardless." Bail sighed, ever the pushover when it came to his daughter. Leia recognized his usual look of surrender and smiled, grabbing Luke's hand and leading him into the palace. They were immediately swarmed by a goggle of handmaidens. Leia greeted them all by name, and Luke decided that he might like staying with the Organas if he would find himself surrounded by pretty girls all the time. He noted that most of them held some resemblance to Leia, much like his mother's handmaidens had. One handmaiden in particular caught his eye; she stood toward the back, her hair framing her face in wild curls, a coy smile on her pouty lips. Leia followed his gaze with a giggle, elbowing him in the side.

"That's Mariamne Varhil," she whispered in his ear. "She comes from a fairly important family on Naboo; her father sent her here when she was six. Lovely, isn't she?" Luke managed a nod and Leia smiled warmly at the other handmaidens who were all still giggling at Luke incessantly. "Girls, girls! There's more than enough of him to go around!"

"I can't believe he's your brother, Leia!" One of the girls exclaimed.

"Yes!" Another agreed. "He's so handsome!"

"He looks nothing like Prince Organa," one of them noted. "How can he be her brother?"

"He isn't Prince Organa's son, stupid," an older handmaiden spat. "He's the son of Anakin Skywalker!" The handmaiden she had reprimanded nodded, but then looked confused.

"But... if he's Anakin Skywalker's son, then how-"

"Leia is ADOPTED," the older girl huffed. "She is the daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala; Luke is her twin brother. Do you understand now?"

Luke had since slipped from his trapped position surrounded by the girls to where Mariamne was watching amusedly. He reminded her of the holo he had seen of his mother once that was taken sometime after she had married his father. Her hazel eyes twinkled apprehensively at the sight of him and Luke knew that some sort of snide comment was about to come his way.

"The Imperial Prince," she stated with a smirk. "What a surprise it is to have you here on Alderaan. Most Imperials avoid this system like the plague." Luke blushed slightly, charmed already. She was not an insipid young woman like the other handmaidens; she was coy and clever like Leia was. He imagined they were good friends.

"My lady," Luke gave a small, teasing bow. "You are not wrong in your opinions on Imperials; most prefer to stay close to Coruscant. But as I have ventured so far out as to recover my sister from Tatooine, I'm afraid I'm quite the lousy Imperial. After all, what self-respecting Imperial dresses like this?" He gestured to his clothes, making Mariamne laugh. Bail walked in on the scene, and was almost amused at the sight of Luke trying to charm Leia's closest confidant. Skywalkers being charmed by Nubian women - some things never changed, he supposed.

"Mariamne," he greeted. The young woman curtsied to him, her head bowed respectively. "You will show... Master Skywalker to the chambers he will be staying in for the length of his visit. Make sure he's comfortable." Bail then turned to Luke. "You're invited to dine with the family this evening. 1800 hours. I do not tolerate tardiness, young Skywalker."

"Of course," Luke said cautiously. "I'll make sure to be prompt. Thank you, Prince Consort." Mariamne held back a giggle and led Luke off into the residential part of the palace. He watched her longingly as her hips swayed back and forth. She knew exactly what she was doing to him. They reached his chambers, which were soft and light and airy; the opposite of his chambers on Coruscant. It was a refreshing change, in Luke's opinion.

Mariamne was about to leave the room when Luke cleared his throat behind her.

"Master Skywalker?" she turned around, eyebrows raised questioningly. Luke smiled.

"I'm not comfortable," he told her with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Mariamne rolled her eyes and walked closer to him, lingering a modest distance away from him.

"And what can I do to fix that for you?"

"I think you know."

Luke pulled her to him and kissed her, long and hard, the two of them tumbling back into bed. Clothes went flying in random directions and before long Luke had Mariamne pinned beneath him, her long curls covering the peaks of her breasts. Luke touched her waist gingerly; it had been a while - by his standards, at least - since he'd been with a woman.

"Well?" she breathed up at him, eyes wide in anticipation. He smiled down at her, kissing her longingly as he took her, silencing the little moan before it had a chance to reach her lips.

Leia walked past her brother's room and smirked at the sounds of Luke and her dear friend's lovemaking; she hadn't taken Luke for being so fast with women, but it appeared that she had misjudged her brother.

Afterward, Mariamne rested her head on Luke's chest, sighing to herself. He lazily played with one of her curls, grinning contently to himself.

"You are very much your father's child, aren't you?" she murmured. Luke chuckled and looked down at her adoringly. He had never felt such a connection with one of his bed partners before.

"So I've been told," he chuckled with a grin. "And coming from Naboo, I'm sure you've heard you look like my mother." Mariamne shifted off of him, propping herself up on one elbow.

"Many times," she said. "You know, when all this madness is over, I'll go back home. And Naboo will restore their old government, and they will be in need of a queen."

"And you hope to be that queen?"

"Yes," she stated. "And every queen needs a consort..."

 **So as you can see, Mariamne has big plans for Luke. And herself. She's a bit of a schemer. I don't know if she'll stick around much, but I think she has good character potential. What do you all think?**

 **~ Class**


	8. Chapter 8

**Warning: someone dies in this chapter, but it's someone we all want to die so it's okay! Also, someone is alive that we didn't think was alive... Can you guess who?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars!**

Luke sat stiffly at the grand dining room table of the Alderaanian Palace, desperately trying not to tug at the uncomfortable white collar of the traditional senator uniform he had been given to wear. Han was still in-system, and was casually sitting at Luke's side, still in his well-worn vest and pants. Bail had offered to allow him to stay for dinner, and Han was smart enough to stick around with the promise of free food. Especially if it was fancy free food. The second course of the meal was a salad with a light Nubian dressing. Mariamne was standing in the corner closest to Luke, a full jug of Alderaanian wine in her hands. She made sure his glass was never less than half full, and upon her fifth time of refilling it he lightly grabbed her wrist.

"Trying to get me drunk, are you?" he murmured in her ear. She smirked and lightly brushed her lips against his temple. Luke wasn't sure if it was the wine or her, but his head was spinning.

"I've heard the results of such efforts are often greatly rewarded," she whispered. Luke had no idea where she would have heard such a thing, but generally it was true; he was a lot more interesting after a few drinks. Then again, most people were. Bail cleared his throat expectantly as the two had remained in close contact for longer than he considered appropriate.

"Palpatine is calling for a meeting of the Imperial senators on Naboo," he stated as Mariamne moved away from Luke's side. Luke was blushing and extremely embarrassed as he straightened his collar; if he was at home he would have undone the top button already. "You will need to go, Leia." She nodded, and a pang of fear spread through Luke. He was supposed to have killed her; Palpatine was using this meeting as a test.

"She can't!" Luke exclaimed nervously. Bail turned and looked at him questioningly. "It's hard to explain, but Palpatine expects Leia to be dead. He sent me to kill her on Tatooine, and I couldn't do it. She's my blood, my sister... I couldn't do it." Leia looked at Luke tearily, a smile on her face. Mariamne was also impressed with what Luke was admitting; to say such a thing in front of Bail Organa took guts, and he was proving that he was braver than most X-Wing pilots. Bail said nothing about Palpatine's plot to kill Leia, but rose to his feet deliberately.

"Well then," he began, "it seems we need to come up with a plan then, don't we?"

The group congregated in Bail's private study; the Prince Consort stood behind his great desk, gripping the edge tightly with both hands. Han leaned in one corner of the room, ready to listen to whatever they had to say. Leia sat in one of the armchairs and Mariamne stood behind her, one of her hands resting on her shoulder protectively. Luke stood in the middle of the room, pacing back and forth on the elegant rug that dominated it.

"We have to send someone," Leia declared. "If we don't, Palpatine will be suspicious." Luke nodded, and Bail seemed to weigh his options. Mariamne leaned down and whispered something in Leia's ear, and the other young woman's face lit up in surprise. "That's brilliant... Father, send Mariamne as your new representative. I can wear a disguise and go as her handmaiden, and Luke can escort us. He can say that Mariamne is his new consort."

"You'll have to destroy him, you know." Obi-Wan Kenobi's voice sounded from the entrance. Luke turned, a wave of extreme nervousness washing over him. "You, Luke. It was your father's destiny, but you will have to take his place. You will have to destroy Palpatine."

"But how?" Luke questioned. "As soon as I draw a weapon against him I'll be blasted into oblivion by over a hundred Stormtroopers."

"Don't you have access to the command codes?" Leia questioned. "You could create an order that would cause the Stormtroopers not to react to such an action. It's risky, but I bet you could."

"I've been trained in creating codes too," Luke said. "Where's your holopad?" Leia handed one over and Luke tapped furiously on the screen. Mariamne watched as encrypted codes flew across the screen and Luke's fingers moved just as fast as the words went by. In a matter of minutes he had a brand new code designed; Imperial Order 72.

"If this doesn't work, you kids are going to be wanted all across the galaxy. There isn't a single system that you'll be safe in," Han remarked from his spot. Luke, Leia, and Mariamne exchanged some concerned looks and Han rolled his eyes. They were so naive.

"I have a contact on Naboo that will be waiting for you," Obi-Wan said ominously. "This individual has evaded capture by the Empire for... oh, eighteen years or so now. You will be safe with her if you fail. But failure is not an option; not when the stakes are this high... I will inform my contact of your imminent arrival on Naboo; no doubt she will be safely watching over the three of you from the shadows." Luke had a bad feeling about this; how was Obi-Wan so sure they could trust this mysterious woman? He wasn't so sure. Leia seemed to feel differently; she seemed eager to accept the woman's assistance. "And you, Captain Solo, will take them." Han stared at them, hands up in defense as if to reject the order.

"Sorry, but I don't want anything to do with his suicide mission. I don't support the Rebel Alliance; I am a free agent, thank-you-very-much," he quipped. Leia scowled at him and rose to her feet, jabbing her in the chest with her index finger.

"Listen here, you," she spat. "We are going to Naboo and you are going to take us. Any questions?" Han was intimidated despite her tininess and sighed, giving up.

"Alright, your excellency," he sighed. "It's your funeral."

Obi-Wan left the study and fished his holo from his robes, hoping he remembered the number for his contact on Naboo. It would be the first time in a long time that he had seen her, and he wondered if she was doing alright. Sure enough, his call was answered and the woman he meant to contact appeared before him, a light brown hood covering half her face. He smiled as she removed the hood to reveal beautiful brown curls and twinkling eyes that reminded him so much of the young Princess Organa's. Her lips curled into a soft smile at the sight of him.

"Hello Obi-Wan," she greeted. "It has been a long time. What can I do for you?"

"Hello Padmé," he stated. "I didn't want to have to contact you; every second we keep this link open it becomes more dangerous for the both of us. Perhaps you've heard of Anakin's passing?" Padmé nodded wistfully. "Well Palpatine had sent your son to kill Leia. He could not do it, showing he is far more in tune with the light side of the Force than his father ever was. He and Leia are safe on Alderaan, but Palpatine has called a meeting of senators on Naboo-"

"And if Leia shows up then Luke has not completed the task he was assigned to do," she finished. "Putting both my children in great danger. What is the plan, Obi-Wan?" The Jedi Master went on to explain the plan devised by her son and daughter, remembering to praise Leia's ingenuity and Luke's great skill with technology - a trait that reminded her painfully of her husband - and Padmé had to admit she was impressed. It sounded like the kind of plan she, Anakin, and Obi-Wan would have come up with in their youth (if she had been allowed to go with them, of course). "And so you need me to watch over them in case something goes wrong."

"Yes," the older man said. "That is what you would need to do." Padmé nodded and then seemed to stop and think about something.

"Does... Does he look like him, Obi-Wan?" She had seen Leia before from afar, surprised to find that her daughter held a strong resemblance to her, and had acquired her diplomacy skills as well. Padmé had always wondered if that meant Luke was like Anakin.

"More and more every day," he answered. "He has his eyes, and his chin. His blonde hair... Though he keeps it much neater than Anakin ever did. He's everything you would have wanted him to be, Padmé. He's valiant, and brave, and bold... but kind, and empathetic. And an accomplished pilot, so I've been told." This made Padmé laugh; it was music to his ears.

"So he is like Anakin!" she exclaimed. "Well, the Anakin we knew and loved. Not the monster he was at the end." She grew quiet for a moment. "I still can't believe he married Sabé. That he couldn't sense that I was alive. I know all this has been for my safety Obi-Wan, but when Anakin was alive he would have tried to protect me from Palpatine, not hand me over to him!" Obi-Wan sighed; sometimes she was as stubborn as her daughter now was.

"You know as well as I do that Palpatine saw you as a threat," he reminded. "You were beloved, and the people trusted you. Whatever you would have told them they would have believed. I have to go now. The children will be arriving on Naboo at 0700 hours. Would you like to arrange a rendezvous so you can finally meet your children? The meeting is at 0900."

"No," Padmé sighed. "It's best they don't know I'm there. They'll be in great danger as it is. Goodbye, Obi-Wan." He nodded respectably to her.

"Goodbye, Padmé." He killed the connection, and went to his own chambers.

Luke was so pleased the next morning as they landed on Naboo. He was dressed once more in an Alderaanian uniform; the white a stark change from his imperial black he had worn to meetings such as these on the rare occasion he would accompany his father. Leia was shrouded in a cloak so her face remained hidden, an Mariamne donned a beautiful blue gown that seemed to cascade like water down her slight curves. Her lips were painted a flaming red, and Luke couldn't help but think of how it would be his honor later to kiss those aforementioned lips. Han was in a uniform as well, grumbling as he landed the Falcon.

The steps of the royal palace had been washed until they shone, and Padmé watched her son and daughter make their way up the steps to where Palpatine was waiting from the shadows. Luke did indeed look like Anakin, and it made her heart ache. She didn't get to see Leia as she was in a disguise, but the young woman walking beside Luke appeared to be absolutely smitten with her son. She would have to some investigating about who she was, she decided.

"Young Skywalker, I see your mission was successful," Palpatine remarked. "Very good. We are now one step closer to destroying the cursed Rebel Alliance." Luke nodded, putting on his best Imperial manners for the Emperor. "And you return with the new Alderaanian Senator, who will also become your consort? Successful indeed. Come, you will sit with me. There is much we need to discuss." The three followed the Emperor into the palace, and out of Padmé's sight, but just as they entered she noticed the light catch on a small comlink tucked into Luke's sleeve, the comlink he would use to issue Imperial Order 72.

Mariamne sat stiffly next to Luke through the meeting, while Leia stood behind her. She felt strange as their roles were reversed, but she felt so safe beside Luke that it didn't bother her too much. After all, he would soon be the Emperor; if their plans worked out, that is. Palpatine Rose abruptly and motioned for Luke to follow him out into the hall. The young man did as he was told, inwardly summoning every emotion he had ever felt as he did so. If he was going to beat Palpatine at his own game, he would have to be very quick about it.

"You have done well, my student," Palpatine began. "Your father would be proud." Luke stopped, turning to face the man who had destroyed his father and the life he could have had with a little smirk on his face.

"You're right," Luke stated. "He would be."

And without warning, he summoned Force lightning and focused every fiber of his being into using the dark power against Palpatine. The old man had no idea what had hit him, and Luke could feel his life leaving him as his attack continued. The Stormtroopers did nothing, meaning Order 72 had been effective. After Palpatine had become still, Luke had activated his lightsaber, slicing the dark lord cleanly in two just to make sure the job was done.

And with that, he calmly returned to the Great Hall.

 **Palpatine is dead! And Padmé is alive! Any idea as to how that worked? Do you think Luke will become the Emperor? Tell me what you think!**

 **~ Class**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello guys! I'm sure you all were satisfied with Palpatine dying, but as a Game of Thrones fan as well, I don't like to make everything that easy. Someone else is also alive in this chapter. I bet you can guess who!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.**

Luke stood resolute before the Imperial Senate. He tried to appear as grieved as possible; he would have to be quite the actor for what he was about to say to be believed. Mariamne didn't have to ask if Palpatine was dead, the stony look on Luke's face told her everything. Leia could've sworn she had felt something when it happened; something like black hole swallowing itself before it could annihilate everything around it. Padmé watched from outside as Palpatine's body was removed from the building by a group of Stormtroopers. She was exceedingly proud, but concerned. It couldn't be that easy; if it was Anakin would have killed Palpatine years before. Something about all this wasn't right. And she was going to find out what. Upon entering the palace, Padmé found that she could not sense Luke's presence; at first she believed it was because she really wasn't Force-sensitive, and was just using a trick Obi-Wan had taught her to help keep her safe from Anakin. But then she remembered that when she first saw Luke his Force presence had been as bright and overpowering as his father's had been. Padmé looked around the assembly, and saw Luke giving an eloquent speech mourning Palpatine that had probably been written by Leia on their way to Naboo. There had to be a reason she couldn't sense him. After another scan of the room, Padmé found the reason why.

Grand Moff Tarkin sat with a gargantuan ysalamir caged to his right. Padmé remembered Anakin telling her about the ysalamir when they had been married; the lizard-like creatures were well-known for their ability to repel the Force, which meant their presence in the room kept Luke from being able to use the Force. Which made him just like every other man in the room. With this discovery, she decided that Luke had indeed successfully killed Palpatine, but Tarkin and the other Grand Moffs were not going to allow him to ascend the throne. It was a trap; Tarkin probably wanted the throne for himself, and planned to use Luke as his little puppet - much like how Palpatine had used Anakin. Padmé knew she had to do something; her little boy would not be privy to the same fate his father had fallen to. She needed a plan.

Heavy footfalls, akin to those when one had just escaped and was running without much of a plan, sounded behind Padmé and she turned, her cloak dropping from her head. The person who had been running stopped dead in his tracks, and Padmé's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't seen that face in years, and it was surprising to see it so unchanged. How he was there - how he was alive - she didn't know, but she knew he was there because he was more real than any of her dreams of him the past eighteen years.

"Anakin," she breathed. He looked like he was staring at a ghost, which in his mind, he was. "How... How are you alive? Obi-Wan told me that you were dead." He managed a small smile.

"I could say the same about you," he breathed, taking her into his arms. She missed those moments; his frame enveloping hers, being able to hear his heart pounding in his chest.

"It's a long story," she whispered. "But something is wrong. Tarkin... he has ysalamiri in the chamber. Luke killed Palpatine, and I think Tarkin is going to take him captive. We need to protect our children, Anakin." The look of determination his face made Padmé smile, and they disappeared into a small side hall, coming up with a plan to take care of the situation. Padmé was to get Luke and Leia out of the chamber while Anakin killed the ysalamiri and arrested Tarkin and the other Grand Moffs so they could be interrogated properly.

"... and therefore I invite you all to welcome the systems that have joined the Rebel Alliance back into the fold. There is no point in continuing this war; we must get back to work improving the state of this galaxy, not tearing it apart and separating it until it is unrecognizable. When my late father first came to Naboo, the galaxy was in the middle of a renaissance. Let us enter a second Renaissance, and restore the individual governments of our systems, and improve the state of our senate. Through this, and only this, will we be able to be the great Empire that we all have dreamed of." The assembly exploded into thunderous applause, and Luke nodded modestly before motioning for Mariamne to rise to her feet. The two exited with Leia behind them, and Padmé grabbed Luke's arm, her hood down so he hopefully wouldn't make a scene. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of his mother, the woman he had for so long believed dead. Mariamne smiled brightly; there had been rumors for years on Naboo that Padmé had been in hiding from the Empire, and was simply biding her time until she was needed. Leia was almost moved to tears, and Padmé embraced both her children for a split second.

"We need to get you three out of here," she told them. "Now. I will explain once we are safe. But now, we don't have much time." The sound of thundering footsteps echoed from the main hall; Tarkin had sent his own troops to go extract Luke and Leia. Luke threw on his Jedi cloak, the hood covering his face as they all escaped down a lesser known hallway of the palace. Meanwhile, Anakin had crawled quietly to the cage that held the ysalamir and drove his lightsaber through its back. Tarkin had followed his troops out to take Luke, leaving his pet completely exposed. It was too easy, and Anakin quickly ran to the rendezvous point he and Padmé had agreed on. How he had managed to escape his confines he wasn't sure, but he figured it had happened when Luke had killed Palpatine. He had ran like hell then, and fate seemed to intervene on his behalf when he found Padmé. Fate continued to be on his side, it seemed, as Anakin made it safely to their agreed spot.

The others weren't having as much success, regrettably. A small group of Moffs had spotted them, forcing Leia and Mariamne to exchange fire with them, taking down part of the small group before being forced to run. Padmé led the group, with Luke close behind. Leia and Mariamne covered the back, proving to be quite good with blasters. Whenever they faced fire from the front, Luke forced his mother behind him and he deflected the shots with his lightsaber, cutting down their attackers as soon as he was close enough. This strategy proved quite effective, and Padmé thought that they might actually make it to Anakin. Until they were cornered, that is.

"Well, well, well," he purred. "Former Senator Amidala. We believed you to be dead. A trick by the traitor Obi-Wan Kenobi, no doubt. There's no point in resisting; you are outnumbered and your son cannot summon the Force thanks to the presence of a ysalamir. Surrender without any difficulties, and I might let you and the girls live. Your son, however, has to die." Padmé picked up a blaster from a fallen Stormtrooper and grit her teeth.

"I'm afraid we can't all-"

"I'm afraid I can't allow that, Grand Moff Tarkin." The older man froze; he had thought he would never have to deal with Anakin Skywalker ever again, but there was no way it wasn't him. The Hero With No Fear was very much alive, and he had just caught him trying to kill his only son. Tarkin knew this would not be ending well for himself, with or without the ysalamir. "You will surrender to my son, the new Emperor, and perhaps he will show you mercy. I, as the leader of the Imperial Navy, however, will not. It's your choice, of course, but you're a smart man Tarkin. I think you know where your best choice lies." Luke was speechless at the sight of his father, and then was filled with an overpowering anger that he couldn't describe. They had lied to him.

"While that might have been the case before, father, I'm afraid I have to room for mercy when I'm dealing with traitors," he spat. "Especially traitors who have imprisoned my father under the orders of the former Emperor. Now your choice, Grand Moff, will be whether or not you wish for a quick death or an agonizing one; the former provided by my father, the latter by myself." Tarkin began to realize that both men were definitely in touch with the Force, and fell to his knees in horror. The boy was not nearly as soft as he had once believed him to be. He was just as intimidating - and as powerful - as his father, and Tarkin believed him when he told him his death would be long and drawn out if he chose to surrender himself to him instead of Anakin.

"Please, your excellency, I beg mercy," he pleaded, grabbing Luke's hand and bowing his head in a desperate attempt to save his own life. "I did not know, I did not know! I am pleased to see that your father is alive; he was a wonderful asset to the Empire and I mourned his loss just as much as I have the Emperor himself. Please! I beg you! Spare my life and I will be loyal!"

Luke looked at his father questioningly, and Anakin shrugged. If he let a man who had planned to assassinate him walk free, he would be seen as weak. How many more former Imperials would try to kill him if he appeared weak and generous to traitors? He activated his lightsaber, and Anakin tossed him his own, reminded vaguely of when he had beheaded Count Dooku in his youth as Luke crossed the blades and held them close to Tarkin's throat. Stormtroopers were escorting the other Moffs out so they could be interrogated later.

"You don't have to do this," Leia whispered over her brother's shoulder. Padmé was quiet on the matter; she knew that changes of power often involved taking care of traitors. Mariamne stood on Luke's right side, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. Her lips lingered at his ear.

"He betrayed you," she murmured. "What's one life for the improvement of billions of others?" Luke looked desperately up at his father, who nodded solemnly at him.

Tarkin's head rolled on the floor with one fluid slice of the two lightsabers, and Luke deactivated both, handing his father's saber back to him. Anakin looked down at it, a pained expression on his face. He thought it was time to construct a new one; the red of the Sith was no longer appropriate for him. Anakin's thoughts were interrupted as Luke hugged him burying his face in his shirt. He embraced his son, savoring the moment as he had thought he never would again.

"I thought you were dead," Luke breathed. Anakin chuckled and pulled away, smiling down at his boy. "I... I thought I'd never see you again."

"Well it would seem that a lot of us had thought that, but it turns out it wasn't true," Padmé stated, her arm around Leia's shoulders. Mariamne stood in the background as she normally did, smiling at the scene; she always liked watching people get reunited.

"Mother," Luke said, turning to the woman he never thought he would meet, "what do we, uh, do next? I don't have much experience in politics." Padmé smiled, ever reminded of Anakin as he grinned bashfully. Anakin chuckled, pleased but nervous about the fact that they now had to make up for lost time - about eighteen years worth of it.

"You've come to the right person," she said. "Come, Luke. Walk with me."

 **Yay Anakin! More about how he survived and some Padmé/Luke Mother and Son fluff next chapter. :)**

 **What do you think the state of the Empire will be now?**

 **~ Class**


	10. Chapter 10

**Everything is looking good, y'all! Life is great for all our faves (even our problematic fave Anakin), and Luke is preparing himself to be the best ruler the galaxy has ever seen. But of course, something has to go wrong...**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars**

Everything seemed so surreal to Padmé as she walked through one of the many gardens of the royal palace, her son at her side. He was extremely proper and stiff; an imperial through and through from birth. It was disappointing to her. Luke was so different from Leia due to their upbringing, and she related so much more to her daughter than him. Every time she glanced over at him she saw Anakin in him; the small smile, hands behind his back, sparkling blue eyes were all him. But Padmé could not put her finger on where he got his build; he was taller than she but shorter than Anakin, and was not scrawny, but not strong and solid as Anakin was when Luke had been born. With a little more thought the reality of where his build came from hit her; he was completely his father at the age of eighteen - the lean and athletic build was reminiscent of her husband when the two had wed all those years ago. They continued to walk in silence, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on the both of them. The son she never thought she would live to see was right beside her, just like in many of her dreams. Luke felt the same way; for as long as he could remember he had dreamt of this moment; he had so much to say but he couldn't find the words. Padmé felt the same way, and eventually broke the silence nervously.

"W-What would you like to know?" she murmured. Luke chuckled a little more, and his posture became more casual as he stopped dead in his tracks. Padmé stopped as well with a laugh.

"If you were to leave that question open I'm afraid we'll be walking through these gardens forever, mother. I just want to know about how to handle politics and whatnot," he sighed. "I was not raised to deal with such things; I was expected to take a spot in the admiralty, serving under my father until my father became Emperor, upon which I would become Lord Commander of the Imperial Navy. No one thought far enough for me to know what to do with an Empire." Padmé sighed; of course Palpatine had kept Anakin from teaching Luke such things.

"Well," she began, "the first thing you must learn is to find people you can trust with your life to serve as your closest advisors. Even then, it will be dangerous to trust all of them; politics now have changed so much since I was involved in them. I would keep Leia and Han close to you. They seem interested in helping as much as they can. Perhaps give Mr. Solo a place in the admiralty and Leia... you will give her an important appointment in the senate to keep her close to you." Luke nodded and they continued their route around the garden.

"What should I do about Mariamne?" he inquired. "And will you return to Coruscant with us? You should come home with us; you could help the senate get back to its roots. Please, mother. I don't think anything would make father happier than to have you back." Padmé thought the issues at hand over; Mariamne was a wonderful girl, or at least she appeared to be, and knew about politics enough to make a good Empress Consort. A quiet marriage at Varykino would be appropriate before returning to Coruscant. And as far as her own return to the Imperial Center, Padmé was inwardly eager to return to her former position and get back in the thick of things.

"If it pleases you and Mariamne, I think a quiet marriage at Varykino would be appropriate," Padmé informed. "And I will return with you all to Coruscant. You will need my help."

"Thank you so much, mother," Luke sighed. "I'll go find Mariamne and tell her the good news." He ran off into the palace, acting much more like the eighteen year old he was. Padmé laughed and a familiar chuckle sounded behind her, making her turn with a small smile. Anakin stood arms open expectantly, and she ran into them, old memories stirring within her. For years she had wrangled with her opinion of him, eventually deciding that despite everything she loved him - and he was the only man she would ever love. She had forgotten how safe she felt in his arms, and sighed to herself, breathing in the scent of him that was so familiar to her yet so strange.

"Our children are all grown up," she murmured. "They aren't in much need of a mother anymore." Anakin chuckled, holding her even closer. "You did a good job with Luke; I am so proud of you. He's everything I would have hoped him to be, Ani."

"He's my pride and joy," Anakin sighed. "He will bring balance to the galaxy like I was supposed to, you know. He's a good boy; he has a lot of you in him. Though not as much as Leia does..."

"She is exactly like me," Padmé chuckled. "I have seen her once before and I saw myself in her then. Hopefully she doesn't have a thing for dashing rule breakers like I did, or I fear you may have Han Solo as a son-in-law. Try as she might, I think she's quite smitten with him." Anakin's brow furrowed in concern; he didn't like the thought of Leia finding someone so soon. She was his little girl, after all, and was far too young to be in love. "Oh don't look so concerned, dear; we weren't that much older than she is now when we fell in love."

"But she is my little girl!" Anakin whined. "And he is an absolute scoundrel. The very thought of him... even kissing my daughter is too much for me to bear! It's hard enough thinking about how much sex Luke is bound to have with that girl. Or any girl for that matter; that is the one area where I fear I failed him. He has quite the reputation back on Coruscant."

"And you don't?" Padmé raised an eyebrow questioningly. Anakin shook his head. "Good. That's just what I wanted to hear. It's about suppertime; should we head back in?" He nodded and escorted her back in, his mind drifting to Sabé. Now that Padmé was indeed alive, their marriage was never legitimate. Anakin wondered if Sabé was even alive; the thought of her being left alone on Coruscant was a terrifying one. In fact, he imagined there was no way Palpatine hadn't killed her; he was aware of how much influence she had over Luke. His heart ached at the thought, but at the same time it sang at his reunion with Padmé.

While the real adults were making up, Leia and Han were in a heated argument. Solo was ready to leave, and Leia had dared to call him out on it. She didn't understand why he would even think of leaving at a time when Luke needed him most.

"You can't just leave!" she sighed desperately. "Not now, not when there is so much change and Luke needs you!" Han rolled his eyes and started to leave the study where they had convened.

"Sorry, sweetheart," he scoffed, "but he don't need my help, not anymore! He's got his mom back and his dad for that matter; I don't think there's much I can do for him. He's got all the help he needs right here." Leia cried out in anger and grabbed his arm, forcing Han to turn around.

"Exactly!" she declared. "He's got all the help he needs right here!"

"You really think so?" Han questioned, a small smirk on his face. "Y'know, Princess, if I didn't know better, I would say I you've started to grow a little fond of me." Leia spluttered in disbelief; she was shocked by the nerve of him to say such a thing!

"I-I-No! If anything I can't stand you," she declared. "I can't stand any scoundrel, let alone a smuggler with a cocky attitude, and a devious smirk, and... warm brown eyes... soft hair... No; I definitely could not be fond of a man like-" Leia's little diatribe was cut short by Han kissing her, and by the way she melted into his arms he could tell that she had been lying. Han pinned her up against one of the walls, her legs wrapped around his hips. Her fingers were tangled in his hair, and both of them were so desperate for each other that they made love right there in the study. Luke passed the room on his way to find Mariamne, chuckling to himself before bursting into her room. Mariamne was running a pretty ivory comb through her hair, turning at the sight of him. Her lips curled into a small, delicate grin.

"I've got great news," he told her. "If you wish to be Empress Consort, the title shall be yours. If it pleases you, my mother thinks we should be wed at Varykino before returning to Coruscant." Mariamne laughed and threw herself into Luke's arms, burying her face in the crook of her neck.

"I don't deserve you," she whispered.

"Don't say that," he sighed. "We better go; mother will be expecting us for supper."

Everyone gathered together and sat down at the grand dining room table of the royal palace. Luke sat at the head of the table, his father to his right and his mother to his left. Han was seated next to Padmé, gazing across the table at Leia who was next to Anakin. Mariamne was at the foot of the table, directly across from her future husband, a coy grin on her lips. Anakin wondered the little smile meant, but Padmé knew - as she often did - that she had agreed to marry Luke. It would be rushed, as many royal marriages often were, but the potential for the two of them to grow as a couple was great; they could be a true power couple on Coruscant.

"I think you will feel right at home back at the apartment, mother," Luke said after the second course had been cleared. "Father has kept it just as it was when you two lived together; nothing has changed. And I imagine I will have to move into the Imperial apartments... It will be weird not being able to wake up and find R2 rolling into my room."

"Well you will have the power to have the apartments redone however you like," Padmé reminded. "They are yours now, and will be for a long time." Luke smiled and looked over at Han, who was gazing adoringly at Leia across the table.

"Han, I've decided I want to appoint you to a position in the admiralty," he said. "You will have command of your own Star Destroyer, and will answer directly to my father, and therefore to me. In fact, I might grant you a position that gives you a fair amount of leave on Coruscant, if it pleases you." Han was drawn from his dream world and nodded eagerly; getting leave on Coruscant would mean getting to spend time with Leia. Luke seemed to sense this realization and smiled knowingly from behind the crystal glass of Alderaanian wine in his hand.

"Thanks, kid!" Solo managed eventually. "That... That would be fantastic. Any time in-system would be greatly appreciated."

"Yes, of course," he responded. "After all, it would seem that we are not going to be preparing for one wedding, but two. Would I be correct in that assumption?" Leia blushed bright red.

"I wouldn't go that far, but... someday, I think?"

Anakin smiled blissfully as his children all shared a good laugh. Everything was finally falling into place; everything was exactly as he had always imagined it. Padmé was at his side, Luke was happy, and none of them were living in fear of the Emperor anymore...

" _You think you've seen the last of the Sith, but you have never been more wrong, Anakin Skywalker, Hero With No Fear..."_

 **Who did that ominous threat come from you think? More Han and Leia relationship development, and Luke nightmares, and panicky Anakin next chapter.**

 **Tell me what you think is going on.**

 **~ Class**


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